Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this section is not prior art to the claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A typical electrophotographic-method image forming apparatus irradiates a circumference surface of an image carrier (a photoreceptor drum) with a light based on image information read from a document image, or image information that is, for example, transmitted from an external device, such as a computer, to form a electrostatic latent image. After a toner is supplied to this electrostatic latent image from a developing device to form a toner image, this toner image is transferred on a paper sheet. The paper sheet after the transfer process is discharged to outside after a fixing process of the toner image is performed.
Recently, in association with progress of achieving color printing and high-speed processing, an image forming apparatus has become to have a complicated device configuration, while a toner stirring member needs to rotate at high speed in a developing device to meet the high-speed processing. Especially, in a development method that uses: a magnetic roller (toner supply roller) that uses a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and a toner to carry the developer; and a developing roller that carries only the toner, a magnetic brush formed on the magnetic roller carries only the toner on the developing roller and, further, removes the toner, which has not been used for a development, from the developing roller in an opposing portion of the developing roller and the magnetic roller. Thus, in the proximity of the opposing portion of the developing roller and the magnetic roller, a toner float easily occurs, and then the floated toner is accumulated at the periphery of a trimming blade (regulating blade). When the accumulated toner condenses and attaches on the developing roller, a toner dropping occurs, and this may cause an image failure.
Here, for example, in a developing device that uses: a magnetic roller that uses a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and a toner to carry the developer; and a developing roller that carries only the toner, there is proposed a developing device that includes a toner reception supporting member, a toner reception member, and vibration generating means. The toner reception supporting member is opposed to the developing roller or the magnetic roller. The toner reception member is located along a longitudinal direction of the toner reception supporting member and receives a toner that is dropped from the developing roller. The vibration generating means vibrates the toner reception member.
There is also proposed a developing device that includes a sheet-shaped vibration adjusting member located in both end portions of a toner reception supporting member in a longitudinal direction at a predetermined interval with a toner reception member. In this developing device, the toner reception member contacts the vibration adjusting member when the toner reception member vibrates. This causes the toner reception member to vibrate and wave while bending such that its free end of the toner reception member draws an arc, thus moving the toner accumulated on the free end side of the toner reception member to its fulcrum side.